Traveling with Your Dog: Pets and Vacation Lodgings
by: Kelly Marshall
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Taking vacations can be difficult to plan, especially if you have pets. Ensuring that most pets of plenty of food and water while you are away can be as simple as asking a friend or family member to check on them every day. However, if you have a dog, it may not be quite so simple. Dogs crave the attention of their owners and will become depressed if their owner leaves for long periods of time. If you prefer to take your dog with you on your vacation, there are important things to keep in mind. As with any vacation, booking your lodgings ahead of time is always a good idea. There are many reasons for this, however, when you add the presence of a loved pet, it makes pre-booking that much more important.
Pre-booking any kind of lodging for any vacation is very important. Having the motel room, apartment, or condominium set aside for you before you arrive can give you an advantage in that you are ensured a room on the day that you want it. However, pre-booking with a pet can mean much more. A lot of lodging companies do not allow pets and, therefore, will not allow you to stay at that location. If you still insist on staying at a location that does not allow pets, you can check your dog into a doggy-motel and take them with you on your daily travels in which ever city you are visiting, then check them back into the doggy-motel at the end of the day. Companies like Petsmart offer such motels for dogs.
If you would rather keep your pet with you, there are many motel chains that are pet friendly, but some may have regulations on the size and breed of dog that they will allow. Most pet friendly motels will not allow any dog of what is known as the "bully-breed" dogs. "Bully-breeds" include any kind of bull dog, as well as Boston Terriers. Some also have size limits on the dogs that they will allow. This is when pre-booking becomes a good idea. Booking the motel ahead of time can give you an idea of the company's regulations on acceptable breeds. While some pet friendly motels allow you to have your dog stay in the room with you, most offer special on-site accommodations for keeping your puppy pampered in their own suit, either in a separate wing of the motel, or in an adjoined room.
The one thing that is most consistent with pet friendly motels is their policies on animal vaccines. All pet friendly motels and doggy-motels require you to show proof that your pet has received all of their shots, particularly their rabies boosters. The reason for this is that the motels are held liable on their insurance if your dog bites one of their other guests, or the motels staff. This can cause many legal issues for the motel, as well as the owner of the dog. It is always important, however, to keep proof of pet vaccines with you when you travel with your dog to ensure that your pet does not become the target of unwarranted legal issues.
Taking your pooch on vacations with you is a terrific way to keep your pet feeling loved and ensure that it is being taken well care of. You can keep a close eye on your dog and show it all the attention that it will need. Being able to share your lodgings with your pet is helpful in making sure that your dog has all the things that it needs, but it is important to ensure that your pet has all of their shots and you pre-book your lodgings before you leave for your vacation.
Article by Kelly Marshall of 
